Reversing vehicle toy



Nov. 29, 1960 Filed Sept. 19, 1955 J. L. BONANNO REVERSING VEHICLE TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 INVENTOR dasspw L. BON

ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,961,797 REVERSING vErrrcL TOY Joseph L. Bonanno, South Orange, NJ assignorto The. Lionel Corporation, New York, N .Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept; 19, 1955, Ser, N0. 535,049 4.Claims-, (Cl-4416.7 .4

The present invention relates to toy electric vehiq t and trackage therefor and is more particularly directed;toward a toy workcar arranged to operate back and forth over a stretch of toy railroad track.

According to the present invention the toy railroad track, instead of extending about a loop which allows the vehicles to go round and round; extends from one bumper to another and the vehicle runs into one bumper, automatically reverses in direction and runs into the other bumper. In order to carry out such operations the vehicle is. provided with a reversible propulsion motor, preferably energized from the trackage, and connected to a reversing switch which is operated when the vehicle strikes the bumper.

In order to increase the play value of the toy, it is preferably provided with a movable accessory, such as a manikin representing the motorman, a head light, or a trolley pole, or a sound signal, which is actuated each time the direction of the vehicle is reversed.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the present invention one embodiment with modifications of certain parts, in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the vehicle on the track;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the track and vehicle showing the vehicle traveling toward the right;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 2, showing the vehicle traveling toward the left;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the track and vehicle with the covers which normally conceal the operating mechanism removed, the vehicle traveling toward the ri ht;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view, similar to Figure 4 showing the vehicle traveling toward the left;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 66 of Figure 2, with parts broken away;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view on the line 7-7 of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section on the line 88 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section on the line 9-9 of Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the slider;

Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the circuit arrangement where two-rail track is used; and

Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating an alternate form of motor reversing switch.

The wheel bearing rails of the three-rail toy railroad track are shown at 10 and 11 and the power rail at 12. Two spaced bumpers are indicated at 13 and 14.

The toy vehicle has a cast body 20 and is supported on two axles 21, 22 provided with wheels 23 adapted to travel over the rails 10 and 11. The axle 21 carries a worm wheel 24 in engagement with a vertical worm 25, carried by the armature shaft 26 of a motor M.

ice

position a conducting spring 32abearing on axle 22. The

other brush is connected to the mid point of thefield windings W and leads 33. and 34 from thelends of this winding are secured toterminals 35 and 36 carriedv by an insulating sheet 37 secured to the truck body by screws 38,

The truck body 20 carries a slider 40 stamped. out of sheet metal. The slider passesunder the insulating sheet 37 and has a contact strip 41 engageable with one or the other of the contacts 42 and 43 carried by terminals 35 and 36. The slider 40 has a long slot 44 to accommodate the armature shaft and. reversely bent ends 45, 46, carry; ing rubber cushions 47, 48. It is provided with. aseries of rack teeth 49. V l

When the slider 40 is extendedto the right of the truck body, as shown inFigurcs 2, 4- and 6, the movable contact 41 is on fixed contact 42 and the motor is energized through the lead 33 and the field Winding W to propel the vehicle to the right. When the cushion 47 strikes the bumper 13 at the right, the slider. is shifted. leftwardly relative to the vehicle and the movable contact 41 engages fixed contact 43, reversing the motor. by directing, current through the field winding from the lead 34 in the'opposite direction from previously, and causing it to propel the vehicle in the other direction, toward bumper 14.

The motor is concealed by a cover 50 which provides bearing 51 for the upper end of the armature shaft 26 and carries the brushes. The wires 33 and 34, the contacts, and the right hand end of the slider are concealed by a cover 52. A vertical shaft 53 carries a pinion 54 in engagement with the rack 49. The shaft is pivoted in the truck body and by cover 52 and carries the manikin 55, or other accessory, adapted to be operated when the slider shifts.

Figure 11 illustrates a toy vehicle arranged for use on track having two insulated wheel bearing rails 60, 61. The motor M is connected between a wheel bearing on one rail and a wheel bearing on the other rail, as indicated at 62, 63.

Figure 12 illustrates an arrangement according to which motor field winding F and armature A are connected to contacts 65, 66, 67, 68 bearing on a contact bearing drum 69, adapted to be rocked back and forth by arm 70 operated by the slider 40a.

Since it is obvious that the invention may be embodied in other forms and constructions within the scope of the claims, I wish it to be understood that the particular form shown is but one of these forms, and, various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

l. .A toy railroad car including a driving motor, wheels for moving the car along a track and a current collector arranged to contact a power rail for energizing the motor, the improvement comprising a switch connected to said motor including a first contact connected to said motor for directing current therethrough in one direction and a second contact connected thereto for directing current therethrough in the opposite direction for reverse rotation thereof, an elongated member slidably positioned on said car and including bumper means extending outwardly from each end of said car, said elongated member including contact means for engagement with a respective one of said first and second contacts, depending on the position of said member, a manikin movable on said car, and me- Pa t ented Nov. 29, 1960 chanical linkage means operatively connecting said manikin to said elongated member, said elongated member being slidable on contact of said bumper means with an object on said track whereby to move said contact means from one of said contacts to the other and to move said manikin.

2. A toy railroad car according to claim 1 wherein said motor includes an armature and a field winding connected in series with said armature at the midpoint thereof, one end of said field winding being connected to said first contact and the other end of said field winding being connected to said second contact.

3. A toy railroad car according to claim 1 wherein said first and second contacts are arranged on the surface of a cylindrical member and means .connecting said cylindrical member to said elongated slidable member to effect rotation of said cylindrical member in response to movement of said slidable member.

4. A toy railroad car including a driving motor, wheels for moving the car along a track and a current collector arranged to contact a power rail for energizing the motor, the improvement comprising a switch connected to said motor including a first contact connected to said motor for directing current therethrough in one direction and a second contact connected thereto for directing current therethrough in the opposite direction for reverse rotation thereof, an elongated member slidably positioned on said car and including bumper means extending outwardly from each end of said car, said elongated member including contact means for engagement with a respective one of said first and second contacts, depending on the position of said member, a manikin movable on said car, means connecting said manikin to said elongated member, said elongated member being slidable on contact of said bumper means with an object on said track whereby to move said contact means from one of said contacts to the other and to move said manikin, a vertical shaft supporting said manikin, a pinion on said shaft, said elongated member including a rack portion engageable with said pinion to rotate the latter and move said manikin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 760,787 Hamilton May 24, 1904 1,126,608 Woodruff Jan. 26, 1915 1,561,411 Culver Nov. 10, 1925 1,942,167 Handy Jan. 2, 1934 1,961,276 Boisselier June 5, 1934 2,091,004 Marx Aug. 24, 1937 2,155,343 Bonanno Apr. 18, 1939 2,179,913 Bess Nov. 14, 1939 2,274,538 Ehret Feb. 24, 1942 2,581,201 Pettit Jan. 1, 1952 2,585,731 Bonanno Feb. 12, 1952 2,593,941 Sciver Apr. 22, 1952 2,661,852 Bonanno Dec. 8, 1953 2,679,712 Schwien June 1, 1954 2,683,956 Conte July 20, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 287,257 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1953 

